Kashmiri PhD student in Gujarat labeled ‘spy’ #WTFnews

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Smear campaign launched at behest of varsity officials to strike at scholar’s guide

Monday, 29 December 2014

Shabir Ahmad

Anantnag: A Gujarati newspaper has labeled a Kashmiri PhD scholar as a spy only because he had visited mountainous regions in J&K in connection with field work for the doctoral thesis, the student told Kashmir Reader
Adil Hussain, hailing from Shamsipora in Shopian and pursuing PhD in Geology at Kutch University said the newspaper had published the slanderous report at the behest of university officials who wanted to malign the image of his research guide Prof Mahesh G Thakar, one of the probable candidates for the post of next vice chancellor.
Adil said the serious allegation has not only put his career but also his life at risk.
“Since my research is topic is ‘Great Himalayas’, I had come to the Valley for some field work with proper authorisation from the university,” Adil said.
“But I was shocked to know that a local daily in Kutch has reported that a Kashmiri Muslim student who had visited the border under the garb of research for his PhD thesis has gone missing.”
The student said that he had visited the mountainous areas along with an international delegation of geologists.
“But this local daily has tried to label me as a spy,” he said.
The newspaper, according to Adil, also insinuatingly asked why a Kashmiri Muslim student, hailing from the most sensitive Shopian district, chose Kutch University for his research.
“The newspaper has also reported that choosing Kutch University for research and visiting some mountainous areas as a part of my project is a matter of investigation by the security agencies,” he said.
“Though my guide has assured me full support, I have apprehensions that security agencies may harass me there,” Adil said.
He said he will return to the university only after obtaining a character certificate from the Jammu and Kashmir police.
When contacted, Prof Thakar said a clutch of university officials who wanted to defame him started the smear campaign against Adil.
“He is a genuine and brilliant guy. His visits to any place have been in connection with his research with a proper authority letter from the university. As long as I am here nobody can spoil his career or touch him,” Prof Thakar said.